The student experience with mathematical modelling has the potential to differ in nature to the experience of a typical mathematics student. The research reported in this paper forms part of a broader study looking into tertiary learning experiences for mathematical modelling. This paper reports on: What are the student experiences when learning…

Gaining useful insight into real-world problems through mathematical modelling is a valued activity across several disciplines including mathematics, biology, computer science and engineering. Differential equations are a valuable tool used in modelling. Modelling provides a way for students to engage with differential equations within a…

The emergence of COVID-19 favoured the development at Université de Montréal of an educational initiative aimed at promoting modelling and simulation in teaching and learning postsecondary mathematics. In our learning activities, modelling is not reduced to curve fitting; software is used and questions are asked to get a deeper understanding of…

Students that classify as having growth mindsets rather than fixed mindsets enjoy greater academic success. This finding has been repeated in a variety of contexts and encourages teachers and researchers to develop growth mindsets in students. However, neutral and negative conclusions from some mindset intervention studies raise questions about…

A textbook model of a contagious disease, the dynamics of which are represented by the SIS epidemic model with saturating treatment, is considered. I show that this model, as originally formulated, is not dimensionally consistent. The model can be fixed by including a dimensional constant [alpha] of value one (with units individuals[superscript…

This paper provides some insights into the use of example-generating tasks in the design of a technology-rich learning environment to enhance students' mathematical thinking. The paper reports on an early stage of a design-based research project concerning the design of tasks and associated feedback utilising the affordances provided by a combined…

In this study, we propose an integrated hierarchical model of computational estimation strategies (IHMCES), which can be used to organize a set of computational estimation strategies, used by a group of individuals, in strategy ranges. IHMCES can be used for the description of the repertoire, profile and flexibility of individuals regarding the…

Operations Research (OR) is a branch of applied mathematics that deals with optimization problems arising from different real contexts. The solving process of its problems is based on the construction and resolution of mathematical models, showing the possible connections between mathematics and the real world. Nevertheless, OR is not typically…

Task enrichment is an important teacher competency that can be considered as a special case of problem posing. For that reason, the theoretical framework of this article includes an overview of this topic, complemented with the analysis of inverse problems. The field work of this research was carried out in master courses in the University of…

Engagement in complex, challenging and multifaceted model-eliciting activities is considered helpful for preparing learners for everyday life. The current study seeks to trace the evolution of modelling routines during two model-eliciting activities. To identify how these routines emerged and evolved, we video-recorded a group of five prospective…

Using Cultural-Historical Activity Theory, we analyze lecturers' views on the aims and teaching practices of mathematical modelling (MM) education in Norway and England. We aim to expose the tensions that exist within the activity of teaching MM at university, such as those between multiple, sometimes competing, aims for teaching MM, or between…

This article reports on a combined quantitative and in-depth qualitative study of 315 Danish upper secondary (grades 10-12) mathematics students' answers to six modelling tasks that place emphasis on the early phases of the so-called modelling cycle. In order to focus attention on the extra-mathematical aspects of modelling, the technical…

Epidemiological models have enhanced relevance because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this note, we emphasize visual tools that can be part of a learning module geared to teaching the SIR epidemiological model, suitable for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students in disciplines where the level of prior mathematical knowledge of…

This study focuses on the mathematics department at a South African university and in particular on teaching of calculus to first year engineering students. The paper reports on a cause-effect analysis, often used for business improvement. The cause-effect analysis indicates that there are many factors that impact on secondary school teaching of…

This study investigated the role of the bar model method, a significant aspect of the Singapore mathematics curriculum, in the remediation of seventh-grade students' errors on algebra word problems. To accomplish this purpose, we first assessed students' errors on a written test involving algebra problems and identified ten students based on the…